Greenversations

About the author: Jeffrey Robichaud is a second generation scientist with EPA who started in 1998.  He serves as Chief of the Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Branch in Kansas City.

Movies require you to suspend your disbelief, but when you watch a film that hits close to home it can be tough. I have a friend in federal law enforcement who squirms when cardboard cutout agents run across the screen. Action flicks don’t do his profession justice, but at least his job is sometimes glorified on celluloid. The only two movies I can remember featuring a prominent EPA employee are Ghostbusters and the Simpsons Movie, neither of which ever made a kid say, “Man, when I grow up I want to work for the EPA.” On the off-chance your youngster was inspired to seek out public service please let them know we don’t inspect unlicensed nuclear storage facilities, nor do we have a fleet of helicopters. We do however, have one cool plane.

EPA’s Airborne Spectral Photometric Collection Technology, known as ASPECT, is an aircraft equipped with sensors that allow for surveillance of gaseous chemical releases from a safe distance. ASPECT gives emergency responders information regarding the shape, composition and concentration of gas plumes from disasters such as a derailed train, factory explosion or terrorist attack.

Since its inception ASPECT has flown over several fires, provided support during the Olympics and Columbia shuttle recovery, and supplied some of the first aerial images of the devastation along the coast during Katrina.

This was the scene in Kansas City outside our office windows in 2007 when a chemical facility went up in flames. ASPECT deployed and was instrumental in verifying that while ominous, the fire did not present a significant health threat to the community (the white signature you see below is the fire).>

Most of the technology you see in movies is sheer fantasy, but EPA’s high-tech plane and the scientists who operate it are worthy of a spot in the next summer blockbuster. Here’s hoping for the appearance of an EPA scientist who isn’t a bad guy (although with my face the best I could hope for is Thug #4 in the next straight to DVD clunker).

About the author: Mary Wigginton is an Environmental Protection Specialist in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. She recently attended an all-day public meeting of the EPA-Venture Capital Community Summit.

Attending the EPA-Venture Capital Summit last month was a little like watching two people on a first date.  Pleasantries were exchanged and the summit participants on each side of the table - EPA and venture capitalists - explained how they worked. Each side listened politely and then as the day progressed, you could see them becoming more interested and aware of a possible connection that might be worth pursuing.

The venture capitalists illustrated the value of their businesses for the U.S. economy in two charts describing the percentage of gross domestic product and the number of jobs that venture capital contributes.  These charts show that venture capital has contributed approximately 0.02% of total invested dollars, but in 2006 generated $2.3 trillion in revenue and 10.4 million jobs.  While the venture capitalists acknowledged current economic challenges, they continue to look for new opportunities to invest in innovative environmental technologies.

Rob Brenner, from EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, co-hosted the summit.  He started off EPA’s introductions by explaining how technology development has been important for EPA through the years.

“The times when we’ve been able to make progress on environmental protection have been when there’s technology available that we can employ as part of our rulemaking process or as part of our voluntary programs,” he said.  As an example, think back on how regulations and catalytic converters on cars improved our air quality.

Mr. Brenner went on to say that the environmental challenges we’re now facing are as much, or more, technology-dependent than any of the ones we faced in the past.  Because the nation’s infrastructure needs to adapt and change - to climate change, increased energy costs, and continuing pollution issues - we will need many, many new technologies.  But those technologies need to be moved from the development stages to commercialization at a faster rate if they are going to have an impact on these challenges.  The venture capital community could help.

At the end of the summit, both sides had a new appreciation for what the other could do to make a difference in the future.  Though not a real “first date,” the summit was a good start. And perhaps these groups could continue working together with states, other federal agencies, and the international community to implement technology solutions to meet our environmental challenges.

About the author: Jeffery Robichaud is a second generation scientist with EPA who started in 1998. He serves as Chief of the Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Branch in Kansas City.

Movies require you to suspend your disbelief, but when you watch a film that hits close to home it can be tough. I have a friend in federal law enforcement who squirms when cardboard cutout agents run across the screen. Action flicks don’t do his profession justice, but at least his job is sometimes glorified on celluloid. The only two movies I can remember featuring a prominent EPA employee are Ghostbusters and the Simpsons Movie, neither of which ever made a kid say, “Man, when I grow up I want to work for the EPA.” On the off-chance your youngster was inspired to seek out public service please let them know we don’t inspect unlicensed nuclear storage facilities, nor do we have a fleet of helicopters. We do however, have one cool plane.

EPA’s Airborne Spectral Photometric Collection Technology, known as ASPECT, is an aircraft equipped with sensors that allow for surveillance of gaseous chemical releases from a safe distance. ASPECT gives emergency responders information regarding the shape, composition and concentration of gas plumes from disasters such as a derailed train, factory explosion or terrorist attack.

This was the scene in Kansas City outside our office windows in 2007 when a chemical facility went up in flames. ASPECT deployed and was instrumental in verifying that while ominous, the fire did not present a significant health threat to the community (the white signature you see below is the fire).

Since its inception ASPECT has flown over several fires, provided support during the Olympics and Columbia shuttle recovery, and supplied some of the first aerial images of the devastation along the coast during Katrina.

Most of the technology you see in movies is sheer fantasy, but EPA’s high-tech plane and the scientists who operate it are worthy of a spot in the next summer blockbuster. Here’s hoping for the appearance of an EPA scientist who isn’t a bad guy (although with my face the best I could hope for is Thug #4 in the next straight to DVD clunker).